1. Field
This disclosure relates to methods, systems, and computer program products for merging and constructing finite state machines.
2. Description of Background
Merging two minimal deterministic finite state machines is conventionally accomplished by a two-step process. The first step of the two-step process includes merging the two machines, which creates a non-minimal state machine. The second step of the two-step process includes minimizing the non-minimal state machine.
This two-step process is not always efficient, especially in instances where a large state machine is merged with a small state machine for example, when a dictionary of words or rules is being modified by adding a new rule or word. It would be more efficient to be able to merge two state machines in a single step process.